26 posts
Anyone want a pedal? With the Klon clone done, I'm now down to 1 pedal, the Wampler black '65, on my to-do list... so if there's something particular you want, either drop a line here or on PM. I generally charge parts + 50% for labor, which translates to "the cheapest killer pedal you will ever buy." I can build just about anything and can add options, I'm pretty open...
Endorsement here. That's crazy cheap and since I have some cases I won't use (and I'll be having you build me a few for sure) I will probably ship you more than I want and donate those cases for anyone here who wants you to build one.
I'll decide soon what I want. Do you have any more Klon boards? If so, save one for me!
I'll take the enclosures, though I warn you I have way more than I can build in the next year already. I can definitely build a Klon. I can also build a "higher gain" Klon, or add a switch to switch between standard Klon gain and higher gain. It's a pretty low-gain device--in my testing I always maxed the gain. I hear on the interwebs that most people don't even like to use the gain, just run it clean. But the distortion has a really great character, very blackface-on-steroids, loves the finger picking, the bends and double-stops. Not as rich as a tweed but very usable. If I was building it for myself I'd increase the gain, or make it switchable, I gave FB the option and I'll wait to hear back... he might be one of those "clean Klon" guys.
I am low on dough for a bit, but can you build a Wampler Ego? That's the next one on my list.
Maybe by the time you have the dough... The ego compressor is a dynacomp with a clean blend and controls for attack and tone, but there's currently no circuit published for it. There could be one in the future though, I'll put it on my list and ping you if it shows up.
Tons of coolness in this thread. :)
Can you do a JHS Morning Glory? My instructor has been wanting one for a while but is short on cash so I would like to have one made for him, I didn't want to throw something else at you since I was already in line for the other one. And I will eventually take some time to post a review for the Paisley, I just haven't had a chance to really crank it up on the Tweaker yet. Thanks!
Yes, I can build a morning glory. I'll put it on the list. That one's pretty nice, I've heard, kind of perfects the Marshall BluesBreaker pedal with a hicut switch. I'll put it on the list and ping you before I start building it.
Cool, thanks! Is the 65 Black you are about to start the one I requested or is that for someone else?
Looking up the morning glory now
That black '65 is yours, yep. I'm glad I started on that because it prompted me to build the JFET matcher I've been needing anyway.
The morning glory is a modified blues breaker...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EK8O5CY9cI
The other thread got me thinking - are there any mods you can do to my old CS-2? My big complaint on it is that it loses some high end. That and the switch itself is kinda wonky, takes 2 or 3 presses to get it to toggle.
The short answer is yes.
Yes, I can add a little brightness to that pedal. There's a very common mod for circuits with this topology, involves one capacitor, and costs about 10 cents. As far as the switch goes, it could be the contacts that are shot, or the plastic on top could have worn down... the youngest that pedal could be is from 1986, and that's potentially a lot of switching. I can mod that for parts cost + shipping, it's an easy fix.
Is it worth it to fix? absolutely. The CS-2 is really the most hallowed Boss compressor, and because of the chip, the BA662, it's a much smoother and more pleasant pedal than the Ross/Dynacomp family, which use the cheaper CA3080. The BA662 chip was made only for Roland and the only way to find replacements is to strip them out of old Roland analog keybaords... so replacement chips are around $40 (a normal replacement chip would be more in the $1 range). That alone makes the pedal worth hanging on to and repairing. The most common mod for the CS-3 is to make it more like the CS-2, if that tells you anything.
Hey! I might be able to afford that!
Just out of curiosity... Do you have any EQ designs?
I like this one. $250 is a bit too much.
http://www.empresseffects.com/paraeq.html
I have a couple of EQ circuits I can use. The best parametric EQ circuit I can do is the TC Sustain+Parametric EQ, which I think sounds pretty great and has a pretty nice compressor to boot... I can do the Mad Professor Deep Blue EQ, and I can do a 5-band EQ.
I can do the Rocket Blue Note but there's no animal tracing yet, I've seen partial tracings and it's essentially a tube screamer with larger caps and some part changes... but I haven't seen a good shot of the circuit yet.
I may have access to an Ego Compressor, what would you need to see on it? Just close up pictures of the circuit board?
Charger, that TC Sustain Para EQ is VERY interesting! That's supposed to be a great pedal. hmmm
ptelite — Jun 18, 2013I may have access to an Ego Compressor, what would you need to see on it? Just close up pictures of the circuit board?
I already have good photos... unfortunately, to get the full schematic I'd need you to desolder all 5 pots which are hard-wired to the board. I wouldn't recommend this. I'll probably wait for someone else to do this. The BYOC 5-knob compressor is going to be very close, as it's the same circuit (Ross/Dynacomp) with blend, attack, sustain, and tone. It's essentially the same thing but Wampler used an op-amp for buffering and clean blend, BYOC is all discrete except for the VCA. The BYOC also uses a BA6110 chip instead of the more common CA3080. I could build this one but it's not cheap, parts alone are $100 as BYOC sells it only as a complete kit. I can also look at building a clean blend on a separate circuit and tacking it into a Ross or Dynacomp circuit.
DreamTheaterRules — Jun 19, 2013Charger, that TC Sustain Para EQ is VERY interesting! That's supposed to be a great pedal. hmmm
Yeah, I'm very tempted to build one for myself. I always liked that pedal.
The TC pedal does indeed look interesting. Any of thr Mad Professor peds seem excellent. There are some killer forest green compressor clips out there.
Tobe — Jun 20, 2013The TC pedal does indeed look interesting. Any of thr Mad Professor peds seem excellent. There are some killer forest green compressor clips out there.
I can build the Forest Green compressor. I built the Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrive, which is my absolute favorite bass distortion ever. And the BJFE Honey Bee, which is a staple in my guitar rig.
Some pricing info that I was asked about...
depending on options, the Klon clone runs about 85 to around $110.
The options that determine the price are:
"stripped" version (cheapest)--runs internally at +9v, no buffer, though I can add a switchable buffer, includes low boost switch.
"18v version"--can be built with or without buffer, runs internally at +18v, functionally the same as +9v.
"authentic version"--most expensive, mainly because PCB cost is very high, runs internally at +/-9v, buffered only. (Personally I wouldn't pay the premium for this, but would choose one of the other two).
other options (additional):
diode switching--$5 for two options, $10 for three options
gain boost switch, $5--adds quite a bit of gain and makes the pedal sound like a Marshall with a Klon voice.
switchable buffer, only on first option, $7.
The HoneyBee runs around $80. Wampler pedals depend on complexity, but generally $70-95. Mad Professor, BJFe, and Bearfoot pedals, when I have the schematic, are $70-100 depending on complexity and parts.
Too many I would like to try... Can't make up my mind.
This one looks like it might be handy. :D
